MBACareerServicesCenter ResumeTutorial

Objectives
Thispowerpointpresentationwill: DefineanMBAcompetitiveresume Describegoodformatting Describegoodcontent AnswerFrequentlyAskedQuestions Provideadditionalresources

(thissectionwilloutlineWHYandtherationalizationforourrecommendations)

PurposeofaResume
Yourresumeis...
Acriticalstepatthebeginningofajobsearchprocess Anadvertisement/marketingtool* Awrittenpitch* Ascreeningtool Anassessmentofyourvalue* Adocumentthatleadstoaninterview(notajob,yet!) Afirstimpression Astandalonedocument

StrategizeFirst...
Importanttodopriortodecidingon format/content
Ask,whoamI? Ask,whodoIwanttobe? Ask,whatismybrand?

Keystogettingitright

Thinkaheadwritetothefuture Emphasizespecificskillstomatchthecareeryouareseeking Writetoyourreader(thetargetindustry/function) Marketyourselfbyonlyincludingwhatsimportanttoyour reader

GoodResumeFormatting
Onefullpageonly(unlessmorethan10yearsofrelatedworkexperience) Sections,inthisorder(headingnamesmayvary):
NameandContactInformation(ontop) Education/Credentials Experience(Work,Professional) Activities/AdditionalInformation(CommunityInvolvement,LanguageSkills,etc.)

Easilyscannedforskills,results,jobtitlesandcompanynamesin30seconds. Organizeinreversechronologicalorder(mostrecentexperiencesontop) Writebulletpoints,notparagraphs BalanceappropriateamountofwhitespaceVs.text Usegraphics,tables,orlogosifappropriate

GoodResumeContent
Currentandpreviousjobresponsibilitiesrepresentyourskillsandresults(in additiontogeneraldutiesandresponsibilities). Showstheimpactyourperformancehas/hadonthedepartment,project, organizationorcompany. Quantifyinformation/results,wherepossible.Forexample,Achieved80% reductionoflosttimeaccidents,savingcompany$1.2million. Prioritizebulletpointsbeginningwiththemostrelevantormostimpactfulfirst. Useactionverbsdescriptiveofyourskillstostarteachbulletpoint(seelinkon followingslide).* Showpromotionoradvancementbytitlesanddates.* Nooutdatedorirrelevantactivitiesunlessitisasignificantaccomplishment, skill,orunusualtalkingpoint.*

*Thesearedescribedinmoredetailonforthcomingslides.

FAQs: Formatrelatedquestions
Whyshouldmyresumebeonlyonepage? Itisahighlightofyouruniquedifferentiatorsspecifictoyourcareergoalanddoesnotlisteverything.Inatoughjobmarketwhen recruitersget100sofresumes,atwopageorlargerresumemightnotbeviewed.Exception:Candidateswithmorethan10years ofexperience. Whyisthesectiononeducationatthetopoftheresume? Youarecurrentlyastudent,sochronologicallythisfitsatthetop. WhatistheproperwaytolisttheMSUMBAdegree? MichiganStateUniversity,EastLansing,Michigan TheEliBroadGraduateSchoolofManagement MasterofBusinessAdministration,Finance*,May,2007

OR
TheEliBroadGraduateSchoolofManagement MichiganStateUniversity,EastLansing,Michigan MasterofBusinessAdministration,Finance*,May,2007

OR
TheEliBroadGraduateSchoolofManagement MichiganStateUniversity,EastLansing,Michigan MBA,Finance*,May,2007

FAQscontinued: Formatrelatedquestions
Whyusebulletpointsandnotparagraphformatting? Itiseasiertoreadandismoresuccinct. Whataresomeexamplesofsuccinctbulletpoints? ExampleA ProvideddirectionfortheStrategiesforAdvancingtheInternationalizationofLearningProgram,(SAIL),aU.S.DepartmentofEducationgrant fundedprogramwhichenhancedculturalsensitivitywithinallareasoftheuniversityandsurroundingcommunity;assistedwithmonitoring budgetexpenditures. OR DirectedaU.S.DepartmentofEducationfundedprogramdesignedtoenhanceculturalsensitivitywithintheuniversityandcommunity. ExampleB Developedverystrongpresentationskillsdevelopingandimplementinginterculturalcommunicationworkshopsforfacultyandstaff. OR Developedandimplementedinterculturalcommunicationworkshopsforprivateindustryanduniversitystaff. Mostofmyworkexperienceand/oreducationhasbeenoutsidetheU.S.,butIamaU.S.citizenorhaveagreencard.Imafraid thatapotentialemployermightthinkIdonthaveautomaticworkauthorization.DoIlistmyworkauthorizationandifso, where? YES,placetheinformationatthetopofyourresumeunderyournameornearyourcontactinformation.

FAQscontinued: Formatrelatedquestions:
Howmuchwhitespaceisappropriateonmyresume? Thecontentoftheresumeistherealfocusfortherecruiter.Keepingtheresumevisuallypleasingisimportant,butthereareotherwaysthan whitespacetoachieveapleasinglooksuchasgraphics,logos,ortableswithinreason. WhyshouldInotusetabsorspacestoalignandformatthedocument? Varioussystemswhereyouwilluploadyourresumewillinterpretthosedifferently.Usetherulerbarortablestolinethingsup.Settingtab stopsisideal.Tabsandspacesmakeyourresumeinitiallylooklikeeverythingislinkedup,butwhensentelectronicallyorwhenprintedona varietyofprinters,thealignmentislost. Whatistheproperwaytoabbreviatemonths,ifIamnotusingthenumericalvalues? January=Jan. February=Feb. March=Mar. April=Apr. May=May June=June(notJun.) July=July(notJul.) August=Aug. September=Sept.(notSep.) October=Oct. November=Nov. December=Dec.

WheredoIputmycurrentGraduateAssistantship*andhow? IfyourGAassignmentgivesyourelevantworkexperienceinyourdesiredfield,itmaybeagoodadditionunderyourprofessionalworkexperience section.IfyourGAassignmentdoesnotofferrelevantworkexperienceinyourdesiredfield,itmayfitbetterunderyoureducationalsection,since itispartofyourMBAdegreeprogram.Listingitwouldtypicallynottakeupmuchspacealineortwo.

*FulltimeMBAonly)

FAQs: Contentrelatedquestions
WhycantIputthewordRESUMEattheverytop? Putyourfullnameinalargersizeinstead.ItidentifiesthedocumentasbeingaboutYOU.Savethedocumentwithyournameinthefilename. YoushouldonlyuseyourMSUemailaddress.Why? Manyyahoo,Gmail,orhotmailemailaccountsgotorecruitersSPAMaccounts.YouwillbeworkingwithMBACSCandcampusrecruitersso thereisanautomaticaffiliationwiththecampus. WhycantIuseanobjectivestatementatthetopofmyresume? YourresumeISyoursummaryofqualificationsandyourcareerobjective(areadermaynotreaddownanyfarther).Also,yourcoverletterwhich oftenaccompaniesyourresumewillcommunicateyourobjectiveforthespecificjob. WhenshouldIincludeornotincludepastorcurrentGPAs? YoucanincludeyourGPAfromtheMBAdegreewhenitisovera3.5.OnlyincludeaverageormajorGPAsfromundergraduateorothergraduate degreesiftheyareoveratleasta3.3. Ihaveacademicgradesreflectingascaleotherthan4.0.DoIneedtoconvert? Yes,especiallyifyouhavedegreesfromoutsidetheU.S.andplantoworkintheU.S.,wheremosteducationalsystemsusea4.0scale. Whyisaskilledorfunctionalbasedresumenotrecommended? Recruitersareclearthattheywanttoseewhereyouworkedandwheninareversechronologicalorder.Aresumethatisorganizedbyskillsor functionmakeitharderforrecruiterstofindwhattheyarelookingfor.Sometimesyoumightbeencouragedtodoafunctionalresumeifyouare makingadrasticcareerchange,butitisrare.

FAQscontinued: Contentrelatedquestions
DoIneedtoincludemonthswiththeyearsofeachemploymentexperience? YES!Especiallyifyouworkedsomewhereforlessthanayear.And,12monthsismuchdifferentthan20months.Additionally,recruitersare likelytoassumeyouarehidingsomething(i.e.,gapsinemployment).Youwouldonlyuseyearsforemploymentifyouhavemorethan10yearsof experience. Itisimportanttobeconsistentwithgrammarandpunctuation.WhatareexamplesofwaysIcandothis? endingallbulletpointswithaperiod(sentence) eitherwritingoutone,two,threeor1,2,3 usingandOR& usepasttenseverbswhenyouhavestoppedworkingforanemployer usingMormillionthroughoutresume using%orpercent IsthereadifferencebetweenlistingBroadScholarandBroadScholarshipRecipient*? IfyouareaBroadScholaryouarereceivingalmostafullridescholarshipandwereselectedbasedonyourleadershippotentialandacademic andworksuccess.ABroadScholarshipRecipientreceivedsomeleveloffinancialaid,oftenintheformofaGraduateAssistantship.Youllwant todescribethesebrieflyonyourresume,assomeonefromoutsideMSUwillnotknowthisinformation. NearlyeveryoneintheMBAprogramreceivessomelevelofscholarshipoffinancialsupport,soyouwillwanttodifferentiateyourspecificaward. Youwanttoputyourawardincontextandstatehow/whyyoureceivedtheaward(foracademicsuccess,orforoutstandingleadershipability)and iftherewasanamountofmoneyawarded,whatpercentageofitcoveredyoureducation? *FulltimeMBAonly

FAQscontinued: Contentrelatedquestions
HowdoIlistmultiplepositionswithoneemployer? Itdepends.Iftheaccomplishmentsandresponsibilitiesvariedgreatly,ifyouwanttoshowpromotionquickly,orifyouwanttobeaccuratein yourrepresentationwiththeorganization.Sometimesbulletpointsundereachpositionworkwell,othertimes,listingallpositionsoneaftereach otheratthetopofthesectionworkwell. ShouldIlistmilitaryormissionsexperience? Mostlikelyyoushouldifyouneedtoshowskillsrepresentingleadership,globalexposure,orlanguagesotherthanEnglish.Typically,recruiters liketoseethesetypesofexperiences,ifitfitswellwithwhereyouaretryingtogo. Whichactivitiesareconsideredoutofdate? Anythingthatisnotrelevanttowhatyouwanttodo,oranythingthatisover8yearsago.Often,mostextracurricularactivitiesfrom undergraduatestudiesarenotasrelevantatthispointinyourcareer.Youdonotneedtolistundergraduateinternshipsorparttimejobswhilein school,unlesstheycontributesomethingtoyourresumethatotherexperiencesdonot. Whyisitrecommendedthattechnicalskillsnotbelistedatthebottomoftheresume? ReaderswanttoseeHOWyouusedthetechnicalprogramstheimpacttheyhadandhowtheyhelpedyouaccomplishyourresponsibilities.So, notethemwithinthebulletpointsofyourexperiences. HowdoIlistlanguageproficiency? UsethetermsNative,Fluent,ConversantorBasic,andclarifywritten,spokenorboth.

FAQscontinued: Contentrelatedquestions
HowoftenshouldIupdatemyresume? Asoftenisnecessary,suchas:GAassignmentdetails,placementatcasecompetition,dropbulletpointsonformerjobsthatarenot relevant,studentorganizationinvolvement/leadership,GPAatendofasemester. Resumesarenotwritteninfirstpersonorthesubjectivevoice.HowdoIwriteinthethirdpersonorobjectivevoice? AvoidsentencesthathavethepronounsIorwe(i.e.,Ourteamtookfirstplaceinthecompetition.Vs.Teamplacedfirstinthe competition.) Avoiditemsonyourresumelike: DateofBirthorCurrentAge PersonalPhotos PlaceofBirth NationalityorCountryofOrigin MaritalStatus VisaStatus Gender TOEFELscore Individualcompanysalariesoranysalaryhistory Passport#,I20# Reasonforleavingjobs Permanentaddress(parents,familyoverseas,etc.) Signature Highschooleducationinformationorequivalent

HelpfulResources
Listofactionverbs: http://broad.msu.edu/mba/careers/students/helpresources/preparation Yourfunctionalportfoliowithkeywords(andsampleresumes)andotherfunctional specificresources:http://broad.msu.edu/mba/careers/students/helpresources/focus MSOfficetemplates: http://office.microsoft.com/enus/templates/FX100595491033.aspx?pid=CL100632981033 ResumeWritingWorksheet: http://www.mba.msu.edu/newsletter/restutorial/resumetutorialexercise.doc AccesstoSimplicityhttps://mbamsucsm.symplicity.com/students/index.php willgiveyouresourcesinWetfeet,Vault,andaResumeBuildertemplate.